Uni Kent The Shed

The Shed is a stand-alone open access workshop established by the University of Kent’s School of Computing to provide space for students to work on practical projects. Its resources include: CAD, CAM, turning, 3D printing, electronic PCB design, laser cutting and mold making.

Students and staff of the School can use The Shed not only to build physical devices within taught modules, such as Internet of Things; but also to support and develop their own personal interests and hobbies. A key rationale for creating the space was to expose students to real-world data, which they often struggle to foresee when designing computer programmes in the classroom. The Shed’s activities support new kinds of innovative teaching and learning by taking advantage of the increasing accessibility of electronics and engineering with a rapid prototyping capability. Students are not charged for using the machines or the materials.

Members of the public can access The Shed’s resources through Associate Membership of Tinkersoc (a student-led maker society).